(As originally published on Feb. 7, 2018)
Daniel Carr and Kolton Mitchell already were late as they drove down Washboard Road, but then they saw the flames and smoke.
Their decision to stop certainly saved the lives of three family members and their dog, and the two 17-year-old Tioga High School students were honored for that on Monday night.
Mitchell, a junior, couldn't attend the presentation, made during the Holiday Village Fire Department's annual meeting. But Carr was there, along with parents Rebecca and Walter Carr and other family members, to receive a plaque and a standing ovation from the department's board members and residents who were attending.
On Jan. 15, the area was preparing for another winter blast. Schools already were closed the next day, and the two teens had duck hunting in mind. Around the time the clock struck midnight, Jan. 15 turning into Jan. 16, thoughts of hunting were put on hold when they spotted flames from the road.
The flames led them to the house, which can't been seen from the road. Carr says flames already were on the side of the house's chimney and the roof. The two backed into the home's driveway and began beating on the door. Mitchell called 911.
Three people were asleep inside, including a wheelchair-bound man who uses oxygen and his wife. The occupants didn't know the house was on fire and didn't wake up until they heard the pounding on the door.
One realized what was happening when she sat up in bed and began to choke on smoke.
Carr said they then went to the back of the house and removed all the oxygen tanks so they wouldn't explode. Another family member from nearby came to help them get put a coat on the disabled man and get him outside into the frigid temperatures.
They also were able to rescue the family's dog. The family found shelter at a relative's nearby home.
The two were just "doing what we needed to do," said Carr. After sticking around to talk to some first responders, they continued on to their camp.
"We got ducks," Carr laughed.
But what the two did means much more to a daughter of the couple saved. "We're so grateful for what y'all did," said the woman after the presentation.
"Most teenagers are like, I don't know if I want to get involved, but we are so grateful that y'all stopped because if it had been a few minutes later, my parents would not have gotten out," she said. "My dad, when he exited the door, the roof fell down behind him.
"We're so grateful for y'all. Thank y'all so much."
The house was a total loss, said Holiday Village Administrative Chief David Gunter. Nothing about the fire was suspicious, so it was turned over to the family's insurance company, he said.
He also said the home's smoke alarms didn't go off until after the teens had gotten into the house, so he suspects the fire began in the attic.
The bitter cold spells over the past few months has resulted in an uptick in house fires, some deadly, across the state. Holiday Village Fire Chief Britt Bolen said his department responded to nine structure fires in January alone, in addition to 32 for all of 2017.
"Cold weather, heaters, space heaters, chimney fires, all of that is coming into play," said Bolen.
Carr, a senior who said he wants to become a game warden, admitted that he was nervous during the rescue. They began getting feedback about what they'd done that afternoon after someone made a Facebook post about the fire.
The two hadn't had contact with the family until Monday night, he said. Gunter said the family had contacted them because they wanted to express their gratitude to the teens.
"At times like that, there's no manual that tells you what to do," said board member Jerry Barrett. "You just can't minimize what they did. There's two boys, going duck hunting, ... and they spot this. And they did it without thinking."
And Carr's mother said she's not surprised by what the teens did. She said her son always has wanted to help others.
"He's little Mr. Hero," she said.
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